When speaking to designers about the rooms they put together and the decisions they make, there is one word that comes up time and time again: texture. Whether maximalist or minimalist, texture seems to be the one crucial ingredient that can transform a space and take it from one-dimensional and drab to richly layered and warm. According to the interior designer Brandon Schubert, ‘texture is one of those wonderful elements that don’t constrain a room, or pigeonhole it into a certain time period. Maybe it’s the black pepper to the chilli powder that is pattern’. There are many ways that designers introduce texture: some prefer to mix a variety of different finishes to create a space that feels alive, where others might stick to a preferred material, layered in several colours. In an effort to better understand this essential consideration, we honed in on five rooms from the House & Garden archive which demonstrate just how important texture is – and how it can be added.
James Thurstan and Scarlett Supple's living room
To soften the white walls and weathered flagstone floor in their living room in Wiltshire, interior designers James Thurstan and Scarlett Supple have introduced texture using a carefully balanced combination of materials. ‘The flooring is a beautiful old, original Blake flooring. We needed to warm it up, so we had a wool rug covering the main sofa sitting area and introduced lots of chunky linens both on the curtains and sofa’, explains James. The bespoke sofa is covered in a plain linen – a preference of the couple as it allows them to ‘have more fun with cushions which can change over time and be adapted’. Varying woods on the beams, the african throne chair and a walnut coffee table work in harmony with the wool rug and an antique Kimono bought by Scarlett on the couple’s honeymoon. Soft, tactile linen curtains from de Le Cuona enhance the sense of quiet warmth and add another layer to this wonderful room.
A library by Emma Burns of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
If you are going for a monochrome scheme, or sticking to one colour in several tones, texture is a great way to add a sense of depth to the space, and keep it from looking too ‘samey’. In this small library, Emma Burns has brought together a riot of deep, rich burgundy tones in a variety of finishes that offer a richness. The background colour of the walls and the bookcases is Little Greene's ‘Baked Cherry’, though in two different finishes. ‘I love the way the emulsion on the walls and the eggshell on the woodwork, although the same colour, reflect the light in a subtly different way’, says Emma. On the floor, sisal carpet is offset by a lacquer side table. The corduroy sofa, with its tactile surface, marries beautifully with an ottoman upholstered in an antique jajim rug, and a framed antique textile hung above the sofa adds another layer to the space.
A London living room by Brandon Schubert
‘I imagined this room as a rich space, and for me richness is all about the way things feel, and how you just want to touch something for the sake of feeling it, like a new cashmere jumper’ says Brandon Schubert of the sitting room pictured above. ‘I wanted to lean on texture (and colour) to add richness, depth and visual interest, but I also wanted the room to sit on the edge between traditional and more contemporary ideas of living – which for me ruled out too much colour and pattern, but didn’t rule out texture’. The walls are covered in a paper-backed cotton fabric from Warris Vianni, which Brandon describes as ‘softer and more textured than paint, and it absorbs light so nicely’. ‘Fabric on the walls is such a great way to add texture - it’s usually quite subtle, but when you’re in the room, you definitely perceive it’, he adds. Over this base, he layered a variety of materials: a heavy, textured wool for the sofa and a green wool bouclé, which helps to ‘lift the mid century armchairs out of the ordinary, and sit nicely against the slick surface of the Fortuny curtains behind’. The coffee table is Japanese lacquer which, made using traditional lacquering techniques, lends a beautifully rich, mirrored finish. Soft velvet cushions rub shoulders with rougher, highly textural vintage fabric cushions in front (‘they’re actually covered in little bits of mirror and glass beads’, says Brandon). The thick knotted carpet adds a layer of soft lush texture underfoot, while a textile artwork by Alexander Girard hangs above the sofa. The space is a masterclass in adding dimension and intrigue to a space, while maintaining an open, sophisticated feel.
A country bathroom by Bodil Blain
This bathroom designed by Bodil Blain is full of differering textures which somehow work together brilliantly. ‘We combined a reclaimed wood wall and ceiling with another wall in Moroccan zellige tiles, another antique mirrored wall and brick-style flooring’ Bodil explains, adding that ‘each surface is intentionally different from the other to create depth and character.’ The wood ‘stops the whole place feeling too hard and cold’, Bodil details, tempering the effects of the mirrors, brick and tiles. The dark, rough surface of the wood is the perfect yang to the mirrors’ ying. ‘Bathrooms can often look quite similar, but walls offer a great opportunity to introduce texture and personality,’ says Bodil. ‘They don’t all need to match—colourful tiles, especially reflective ones like zellige, add vibrancy, while wood brings warmth. Mirrors help create a sense of space, and fabric makes the room feel less sterile.’
